1. Technical Field
The invention relates to evaluating a station by communicating wirelessly with the station.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Wireless communication technologies enable devices such as laptop computers and access points to communicate wirelessly by sending and receiving radio messages. A laptop computer may be equipped with a wireless network card that enables the laptop computer to communicate wirelessly with an access point. The laptop computer may also have a software driver that enables the laptop computer to interface with the wireless network card. To verify that the driver and wireless network card function appropriately, they may be subjected to testing.
For example, the manufacturer of the wireless network card may wish to verify that the wireless network card sends and receives data in a way that meets a particular protocol, specification or standard, such as IEEE standard 802.11. As another example, the manufacturer may wish to verify that a driver developed for the wireless network card handles data appropriately.
To verify that the wireless network card and driver function appropriately, the manufacturer may subject them to tests using a variety of access points. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a test infrastructure that may be used to test a station according to prior techniques. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a station 102, an access point 104, an access point 106 and a network 108.
Station 102 may be tested to verify that it works properly when communicating wirelessly with an access point. To test station 102, access point 104 may be manually configured by a technician to communicate with station 102. Access point 104 is configured to exchange wireless messages with station 102. The station's ability to communicate wirelessly is tested by evaluating the response of station 102 to wireless communications with access point 104.
Once station 102 has been tested for communications with access point 104, the technician manually sets up a different type of access point, e.g., access point 106. Station 102 is then tested by exchanging wireless communications with access point 106. To verify that station 102 will function properly in a variety of situations, it may be tested by engaging in wireless communication with several different types of access points. As new access points become available on the market it may be necessary to obtain one of the new access points so that the station 102 can be tested against it.
In some wireless network environments, more than one access point may be available to communicate with a laptop computer. For example, several wireless access points may be set up at different locations in an office to provide wireless access across a broader area than could be covered by a single access point. As the laptop computer “roams” within the office or other environment, it may move out of the range of one access point and into the range of another access point, and the laptop computer should switch between access points.
A wireless network card and driver may be tested to verify the ability of the laptop to switch from communicating with one access point to another access point when the first access point goes out of range. One known way of testing this ability is to set up two access points in the vicinity of a laptop computer with the wireless network card and driver. The laptop may initially be in communication with one of the access points. Communications with the first access point may then be disrupted by enclosing the first access point in a metal cage, and the ability of the laptop to switch from communicating with the first access point to the second access point may be tested.